Optical Illusions

Anti-Gravity Mirror

Here’s an exhibit where watching is at least half the fun. You can create any number of gravity-defying illusions that will amaze you and your friends: Levitate, fly, swim though the air, grow limbs (and dissolve them), crawl straight up the wall like a lizard—the sky’s the limit.

Where: Bechtel Gallery 3: Seeing & Listening

Benham's Disk

The colors you see here are all in your head.

Where: Bechtel Gallery 3: Seeing & Listening

Big Chair, Little Chair

Each of the chairs in this series has dimensions that are twice that of the smaller chair. But doubling the dimension of a chair doesn’t double its strength.

Where: Entrance

Café Wall Illusion

These tiles aren't really crooked–they just look that way.

Where: Crossroads: Getting Started

Cheshire Cat

Make your partner's face disappear, leaving only a smile.

Where: Bechtel Gallery 3: Seeing & Listening

Dioximoirekinesis

A kinetic pattern seems to move as a visitor's viewpoint shifts.

Where: This exhibit is not currently on view.

Distorted Room

From one view, this room looks like a normal room, but people and things inside may seem quite strange.

Where: Gallery 5: Outdoor Exhibits

Duck Into a Kaleidoscope

Step inside—and reflect.

Where: Bechtel Gallery 3: Seeing & Listening

Giant Mirror

This giant mirror was originally part of a flight simulator. Its size and near-perfect smoothness makes for astonishing optical (and acoustic) effects.

Where: Bechtel Gallery 3: Seeing & Listening

Gray Step

With the rope hanging down, the left and right sides of the board appear identical. Lifting the rope shows the dramatic difference that your eyes missed—and continue to miss, as soon as you let the rope fall again.

Where: Bechtel Gallery 3: Seeing & Listening